Convicted murderer faces added prison time

Matthew Safrit

By Joyce Orlando

Published: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at 07:43 PM.

In March, Matthew Safrit was sentenced to 18-23 years behind bars for the 2012 shooting death of his stepfather. On Wednesday, the court added another three and a half to six years to that sentence. Safrit, 23, made his way to court Wednesday for a final sentencing hearing on two related charges stemming from the death of his stepfather, 41-year-old Nathan Cloninger. The charges were assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. Last month, Safrit accepted a plea agreement for charges of second degree murder. He will face consecutive sentences for the convictions, which will put his prison sentence at 22 to 30 years. “We are grateful for the sentencing,” said Sally Kirby-Turner, assistant district attorney for Cleveland County. “This is the most that can be received on these charges.” The reason for the second sentencing hearing was that both the prosecutor and defense called witnesses to the stand. The defense called Dr. Jerry Noble a forensic psychologist to the stand and the prosecutor called Safrit’s mother, Jennifer Cloninger. “We called his mother and asked her to tell the court the events,” Kirby-Turner said. “He started crying.” Noble was called to the stand to testify on Safrit’s state of mind during the events in 2012, according to Safrit’s attorney, Daniel Roberts. Nobel said Safrit was intoxicated at the time. “His mother, stepfather and grandmother had gone to the magistrate, they tried to have him committed the morning of (the killing),” Roberts said. “The defense asked for the charges to be combined,” Kirby-Turner said. “We are very grateful to the judge for giving the consecutive sentencing.” Roberts also said Safrit was apologetic but kept it short during the hearing. He said he believed Safrit apologized to his mother and the Cloningers at an earlier time. “He accepted responsibility for what he did,” Roberts said, “And he will have to do a lot of prison time for it.”

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In March, Matthew Safrit was sentenced to 18-23 years behind bars for the 2012 shooting death of his stepfather.
On Wednesday, the court added another three and a half to six years to that sentence.
Safrit, 23, made his way to court Wednesday for a final sentencing hearing on two related charges stemming from the death of his stepfather, 41-year-old Nathan Cloninger. The charges were assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Last month, Safrit accepted a plea agreement for charges of second degree murder. He will face consecutive sentences for the convictions, which will put his prison sentence at 22 to 30 years.
“We are grateful for the sentencing,” said Sally Kirby-Turner, assistant district attorney for Cleveland County. “This is the most that can be received on these charges.”
The reason for the second sentencing hearing was that both the prosecutor and defense called witnesses to the stand. The defense called Dr. Jerry Noble a forensic psychologist to the stand and the prosecutor called Safrit’s mother, Jennifer Cloninger.
“We called his mother and asked her to tell the court the events,” Kirby-Turner said. “He started crying.”
Noble was called to the stand to testify on Safrit’s state of mind during the events in 2012, according to Safrit’s attorney, Daniel Roberts. Nobel said Safrit was intoxicated at the time.
“His mother, stepfather and grandmother had gone to the magistrate, they tried to have him committed the morning of (the killing),” Roberts said.
“The defense asked for the charges to be combined,” Kirby-Turner said. “We are very grateful to the judge for giving the consecutive sentencing.”
Roberts also said Safrit was apologetic but kept it short during the hearing. He said he believed Safrit apologized to his mother and the Cloningers at an earlier time.
“He accepted responsibility for what he did,” Roberts said, “And he will have to do a lot of prison time for it.”